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Sunday, August 27, 2017 guardian.co.tt
letters on sunday A19
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DISCLAIMER:
Comments are the
sole views and opin-
ions of the writer and
are not representative
of Guardian Media
Limited or its staff.
Guardian Media Limit-
ed accepts no liability
and will not be held
accountable for com-
ments.
Guardian Media Lim-
ited reserves the right
to remove, to edit or
to censor any com-
ments.
WEB CHAT ...from our Facebook readers
The new TTT and its implications
In his announcement about
the reversion of Caribbean
New Media Group (CNMG)
to Trinidad and Tobago Tele-
vision (TTT), the Minister of
Communications, Mr Maxie
Cuffie, a former journalist, has
stated inter alia that "a revived
Trinidad and Tobago Televi-
sion will serve as a hub for local
content development."
Is this a real concern about
local content, or is this move
by the Minister a means of re-
trenching staff in the midst of
a meltdown of the economy?
After all, he took some time
to explain how CNMG was a
financial disaster.
A subsequent press release
from FILMCO, the Film-mak-
ers Collaborative of Trinidad
and Tobago, welcomed the
announcement that "a new
public service broadcaster,
TTT, is to be formed with a
mandate that puts local con-
tent front and centre... for
partnership between stake-
holders and the Government
in the transition from CNMG
to TTT and in creating a pub-
lic service broadcasting model
that is unique to Trinidad and
Tobago."
FILMCO also said: "The
combined audio visual ar-
chives of TTT, GISL and
CNMG must be seen as a fi-
nancial and historical asset
and treated accordingly, with
dedicated librarians to cat-
alogue, digitise and license
the material."
I have a fairly good idea that
much of what has been said
is not new, particularly the
matter of local content. I am
also concerned with the state
of our visual archives and the
way forward public service
broadcasting.
But let me limit myself to the
Minister's statement about lo-
cal content which needs to be
put in context.
Between November 2 and 18,
2015, members of the public
were given the opportunity
to contribute to a nation-
al discussion on the role of
state media via the CNMG's
various channels including
CTV's Good Morning Trin-
idad and Tobago, TalkCity
91.1FM, Next 99.1FM, Sweet
100.1FM and CNMG's social
media platforms.
The opportunity was also
provided for the public to at-
tend and participate in four
days of live discussions and
engagement.
I heard some of the public
comments.
On December 18, 2015, the
Minister received a report "To-
ward Dynamic Public Service
Media: Proposal on the way
forward for CNMG and GISL."
The report was intended "to
inform the direction, policy
and legal structure of state
owned media in Trinidad and
Tobago."
We were informed that "the
Minister intends to review the
proposal, advise the Cabinet
and subsequently inform
the public of the subsequent
steps."
Clearly, action regarding the
state media and local content
is taking place on the basis of
these consultations but there
is no report for the public to
assess.
Likewise, I remember that
17 years ago, in 2000, a large
number of artistes and others
in the music industry demon-
strated in PoS over the lack of
local music on the airwaves
and to convince the govern-
ment to implement a 50%
quota for the local music to
be played.
The Government did not
take them on and 3 Canal as
well the Artiste Coalition led
by Rubadiri Victor launched
an online petition for local
content on radio as well as
television.
What is very pertinent to
this issue is something that
was said in 2000. The local
artistes advocated that legisla-
tion should be used to have the
programme managers feature
local film, music and videos.
They suggested, then, that
T&T should look at what has
been happening in Canada,
France, Brazil and England. I
say that we should look now
at what is happening in Cana-
da, one of the countries men-
tioned in 2000.
Since 2016, Canada has been
looking at updating their laws
regarding local content which
were relaxed under the Con-
servative government. The
Canadian Heritage Federal
Department began a public
consultation on how to sup-
port and promote Canadian
content in the current digital
climate.
There is a consultation re-
port "Canadian Culture in a
Digital World" released on
February 21st 2017. It is online.
Where is our report? In its
absence how are we to judge
what is really going to happen
at the "new" TTT and what
are the real implications for
the human resource as well
as local content.
Is there going to be legisla-
tion concerning local content?
Will we have our 50 per cent
of local material in our broad-
casts? Is the Government
seeking to fire people just so?
The public deserves to see
that report. Let it not go the
way of all the other reports of
Commissions of Inquiry and
national consultations.
Aiyegoro Ome
Mt Lambert
Baker raped, strangled, stabbed
Leslie-Ann Gonzales was
raped, strangled and stabbed
at least ten times in the face
with an ice pick after she was
attacked on the way to her
Oropouche Road, Valencia
home on Wednesday, her
autopsy found yesterday.
Rae Jose: This is so sad. Seems
like we can't even go about our
lives without worrying for our
safety any more. The young
lady was 200 metres from her
home. Do we need to make sure
we go nowhere alone any more
as women to survive the streets
and businesses of this country?
Elea Lendore: All the time
people were commenting and
saying why she left quite Valencia
to go San Juan. See why proper
journalism and not emotional
journalism needs to be addressed.
On a saddened note, my heart
bleeds for this society. Demons
in human form.
Rose Roseheart: People, we
now have to assume that the
person sitting next to us in a taxi
is a criminal, when we walk the
streets we are mingling withmur-
ders. Everyone has to be looked
at differently. How can we as a
people go on like if this is normal?
Ovioba Francis: There's an
IOS App called Companion that
I sometimes use. Alerts people
you select to your whereabouts
and gives a step by step view of
your trip home or destination.
Helpful.
Autopsy on fire victims incon-
clusive... Man finds 'po-
lice'shirt near shack
A dealer searching a dere-
lict pick-up for parts near the
Chaguanas home of murder
victims Michael "Gaza" Ap-
plewhite, his common-law
wife Michelle Harrylal and
another man believed to be a
neighbourknown as"Reddo",
discovered a blue shirt with
the word "Police" printed
twice.
Jamilia Wallace: I think Dr
Alexandrov is examining too
much bodies. This man needs a
rest. Psychology of viewing this
amount of bodies murdered in
such a heinous way is sure to have
an effect on him. Our crime rate
and brutality against each other
is just way too high.
Natalie Swan: Police or not
this child will never trust a police
officer.
Pat Lewis: This tragic story
has more behind it than we might
ever know R.I.P hope this one is
solved quickly.
Nerissa Dqueen: This tra-
la-la sounds like yet another
mystery, which the TTPS don't
have the technology or resources
to solve!
Cousins' kidnapping a
fake, relatives held
Two relatives weredetained
and being questioned by po-
lice yesterday in connection
with what is being labelled a
fake kidnapping by the police
service.
Merlina Robinson: But an-
yone could tell they were fakes
looking for attention. Now that
they got the attention they were
seeking, police should charge
them.
Betty Motilal: The boys
should know their relatives and
say it was them.Then jail all of
them for lying and wasting police
time and resources. Kidnapping
is a game now? While some are
kidnapped for real, don't make
a joke out of a real and serious
situation.
Laurence Tenia: The same
amount of money they were
demanding as the ransom they
shouldbefined that same amount
for their stupidity.
Be aware of hiking dangers
The leader of a Rio Cla-
ro-based hiking club has
warned hikers to be aware
of the potential dangers in-
volved during expeditions.
Seth De Freitas: The real
dangers are these unregulated,
unmonitored hiking clubs, with
conmen calling themselves
"expert hikers." Taking people's
money and killing them simul-
taneously. Every year there is
some accident, mishap or death.
CONMEN!
John W Smith: How many
established hiking trails/route
are registered and mapped in
Trinidad? I bet casually walking
through the bushes is considered
hiking.
Lizbeth Samuel: That's why
theonlyhikeIgoonistomywarm
comfortable bed.
Idealism increases in
direct proportion to
one's distance from the
problem.
John Galsworthy
A piece of clothing with police insignia, which was found near the crime scene a day after
investigators swept the area for clues at Carlsen Field. PHOTO: RISHI RAGOONATH
Leslie-Ann Gonzales